Alan Franco and Lucas out for São Paulo v Fortaleza, details here | OneFootball

São Paulo still does not have its entire squad available and, this Wednesday, suffered two new absences for the match against Fortaleza, valid for the Brazilian Championship. Defender Alan Franco and forward Lucas Moura, for different reasons, will be unavailable for coach Hernán Crespo.

Alan Franco felt pain after the defeat to Ceará last Monday. The defender was diagnosed with a muscle overload in the front part of his thigh. Due to this physical issue, the Argentine will stay in São Paulo for individualized activities.

As for Lucas Moura, who recently returned after recovering from an arthroscopy on his right knee, he will be rested by the coaching staff with an eye on the derby against Palmeiras. He will also remain in the capital and, like Alan Franco, will do specific training.

Lucas’s case is different from Alan Franco’s. The number 7 is still recovering from the procedure on his right knee. The player made himself available to Crespo in the last two matches and even got some minutes, but the coach chose to rest him against Fortaleza, already thinking about the Choque-Rei derby.

In the current season, Lucas has played 19 matches, starting in ten. The forward has contributed four goals and one assist. Alan Franco, meanwhile, has played 40 games (39 as a starter) and has provided two assists.

Problems in Defense

Alan Franco’s absence makes Crespo’s job even harder when setting up São Paulo’s defense against Fortaleza. That’s because the coach also won’t be able to count on three other defenders: Arboleda is suspended, while Tolói and Ferraresi are in the medical department.

The coach has called up defender Isac from the under-20 squad to travel with the team. Even so, with only two natural center-backs available, Crespo may be forced to change São Paulo’s tactical setup. Another solution is to keep the current system and improvise with defensive midfielder Negrucci, as was done in the recent derby against Santos.

São Paulo’s Situation in the Brazilian Championship

São Paulo has stalled in the league table and is currently in seventh place, with 35 points. The Tricolor is going through a tough time this season and, besides being eliminated from the Libertadores, is suffering a streak of four consecutive defeats.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.